Incentive
by psiChic
Summary: You know what you have to do, Sam." Coda to 4.10, slight Sam/Ruby if you squint. T for a little bit of language. Now Part Two by Request.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Just a short drabble-ish type of thing, spoilers for 4.10, Sam/Ruby if you squint really hard. Not betaed because...well, I didn't feel like sending it, lol. That's all. **

**Disclaimer: Yeah. Not mine.**

Incentive

"You know what you have to do, Sam." She says, inching closer and unconsciously holding her midsection.

"Let me see that." He ignores the statement, diverting attention to the injuries of another; a common and usually effective tactic.

"It's nothing." She's not that easy. "Which is more than I can say for this craptastic situation we're in."

"Anna's got her mojo back. It'll be fine." He moves for the gauze and antiseptic anyway.

She laughs, softly but without mirth. "You look me in the eye and say that, Sam. This isn't just some reckless hunt for revenge anymore. You have demons gunning for you left and right and angels who would rather see you dead than helping. We both do. Don't you think you should be using every weapon you've got?"

"Yeah, well that's just it. You said it yourself; the angels would rather have me dead than help. At least that way. So the answer's still no, Ruby."

"This is about your brother, isn't it? You're afraid of what Dean will think if you go down this path." She moves closer still. "Well guess what, Sam. When Dean ends up dead, _again_, because you can't stop the next big-wig demon with one of your brother's bones to pick, things'll be different. What will you do, Sam? Will it be worth the risk of going "dark side" then?"

He doesn't answer, the gauze forgotten on the bed.

"I'm starting to see the way things work now. I should have known. You only want to get up off your ass and actually _try_ when your brother's not around to do the job for you. Nice work ethic, Sammy."

"Shut up."

"You know, I'm starting to wish Dean hadn't come back at all. I mean, don't get me wrong, hell's no picnic, but you? You're different with this six foot shadow. And I can't really say it's better."

"I said, Shut. Up."

"Sure you were drunk out of your mind on occasion, wouldn't listen to simple instructions…but now…You're just sloppy. Useless. Poor Dean, he has to pick up all your slack."

She's against the wall before she can finish her sentence, Sam breathing hard and a furious glint in his eyes. It's about 1.2 seconds before she feels a painful tug from somewhere deep inside; she can feel him pulling her out.

"See, Sam?" she gasps, "That wasn't too hard now, was it?"

-End-


	2. More Incentive

**A/N: So, this story was originally a drabble, but a kindly reviewer, cursedgirl, asked for more. This is what happened. It's a bit longer than I had expected...oh well. Hope you enjoy! :)**

**Still not mine. :/**

Incentive, cont.

"See, Sam?" she gasps, "That wasn't too hard now, was it?"

He falters, rage giving way to guilt, and relaxes his hold on her. He stops pulling and turns away, ashamed that he took the bait. "Get out of here, Ruby."

She pauses, an internal debate flashing behind her eyes that Sam doesn't see. "No. Sam, look…I'm…I'm sorry, okay? I shouldn't have brought Dean up like that. I know this is hard, but you've got to listen to—"

"You know this is hard? Right. That's why you just won't stop pushing."

"Sam," she reaches out and takes his shoulder, turning him around to face her. The look he gives her puts her hand back safely at her own side, but her voice never wavers. "Please don't just give up like this. The things that are coming…You'll die, Sam. You and Dean both. It's the truth and you know it."

Sam sighs. He knows she isn't lying, that she's probably right. He's not afraid to go down fighting; he'd accepted that fate a long time ago. But then he sees Dean, on the ground, chest in ribbons—

"What do you want me to do?" Sam notices the slight surprise that crosses her face. She wasn't expecting him to fold so quickly. The defeat in his tone isn't without struggle though.

"This isn't a mistake, Sam."

"Heh…whatever. So, you hear about any possessions 'round here?" He clears his throat.

"What, I'm not good enough for you anymore?" The playful glint is back in her eye, now that she knows she's won.

Sam's hand goes to the back of his head as he looks down. "Yeah, sorry 'bout that."

"Doesn't matter. It was more practice than you've had in weeks. I'm kinda surprised you could even do that…"

"Look, are we gonna do this or not?"

"Actually, I was thinking we could try something else this time."

Sam's brows knit together, confusion playing clearly on his features. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"It means, I think it's about time you stepped it up a level. Expand. New horizons and all that."

"What? No. I exorcise, or I don't do anything. I mean…it's already too much. I do anything else…"

"Dean'll kill you?"

"Him or Uriel." Sam backs away from her again, warning in his eyes.

"Sam…this is important. Bigger than some angel with a stick the size of Texas up his ass."

"And God?"

She stops, staring at him for a moment, calculating her answer. "God wants to stop Lucifer, right?"

"Not this way."

"They've never tried this way. You ask me, they're gonna have to wake up and get used to the changing times. Once they see how helpful you are, how helpful you _can be_, they'll have no choice but to come around."

"Or kill me."

"At least you'll have tried. Better than dying a helpless bystander."

"I wasn't planning on just standing by and watching the end of the world happen, Ruby. Just…there are other ways."

Now it's her turn to sigh. "And this is one of them. Look, Sam, I'm tired of arguing with you. So just finish getting rid of me or make yourself useful and try a little something new." She moves closer.

"Ruby…" He looks down at her, full of doubt.

"Sam…we've been over this." She reaches up to touch his face, leaning closer still.

"Stop—"

"Make me." Her lips brush his and he pulls away, exhaling.

She rolls her eyes. "I didn't mean that way. Use your mind, Sam. _Tell_ me to stop."

He turns around again, confusion and alarm once again present on his face. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"Higher learning, remember, Sam?"

"What, mind control? I can't do that." He's backpedaling again.

"Just like you couldn't exorcise demons without words."

"Well, I don't want to do this. The other psychic kids, Andy's brother, Ava, Jake? Mind control didn't exactly work out for them. I seem to remember them all trying to kill me with it."

She rolls her eyes again. "Sam, how many times are we going to have this 'dark side' conversation? You're not like them; you've got more self control than anyone, human_ or_ demon, that I've ever met, plus a brother who rides your case worse than a paranoid soccer mom. You can handle this. And besides, it's not mind control, it's demon control. Now come on, stop being such a wuss and just focus."

"Focus on what? I don't even know how to…No."

"Yes. Focus on making me do something. Anything." She opens her arms up, making herself a bigger target. As if it were that simple.

"Fine." Sam attempts to concentrate, trying to find some untapped power in his head. He knows it won't be easy; it took him weeks to find the switch that turned his exorcising ability on. It doesn't help that he'd sworn never to go searching for switches again. 'Willing' the first thing that comes to his mind, he looks at Ruby. _Dance_.

She doesn't.

"That's it, just focus, Sam."

_Dance._

Nothing. And…three hours later, still nothing. No dancing to be had by anyone.

"Ugh! I don't get how this works, Ruby! Just forget it." Sam plops himself down on his brother's empty bed, frustrated and far more exhausted than he should be._ It must be a sign: mind control = off limits._

Ruby, on the other hand, remains infuriatingly calm. "No, Sam. You _do_ know how it works. What you do when you exorcise them—it's the same thing. You're telling them where to go, to move. You never wondered why you don't need to think in Latin while you're doing it? All you've gotta do is give a different command."

"Huh. That…actually makes sense…Seriously?" Sam obviously hadn't been expecting that response. He hadn't really wondered; just took it as another of his freakish aspects.

"Yes, Sherlock. Now come on." She pulls him back into a standing position. "Take your best shot."

Sam's brows furrow again, this time with new determination, eyes boring a hole in Ruby's forehead. Just like an exorcism, only…not. He raises his hand (it seems to help in choking up demons, right?) and feels the now familiar rushing pressure associated with the use of his abilities. He closes his eyes, straining. _Chicken Dance. Right Now._

He waits a moment before cautiously opening one eye, still struggling with the war in his head. Ruby's face has gone lax and…her arms start to flap.

The opening of a door is heard somewhere to his left, but he can't look away, stunned, half proud and half horrified. And maybe a little amused.

"What the hell is going on in here?"

In unison, Sam and Ruby turn to face the new arrival. "Oh crap, Dean."

-End (For real...probably)-


End file.
